The bright silver arch, with a mirror positioned underneath, and
a uniquely designed wooden bench are out of the ordinary. Welcome
to the world of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), Spain's most eccentric
architect. The exhibition, Cosmos Gaudi: Architecture, Geometry and
Design, is now running at the Capital Museum in Beijing until
August 2.?
Jointly organized by Spain's State Corporation for Overseas
Cultural Action (SEACEX), the Capital Museum of Beijing, and the
Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai (MOCA Shanghai), the exhibition
showcases 16 original works, 17 reproductions and 26 models.
Daniel Giralt-Miracle, curator of this exhibition, says the show
will present the different worlds that constituted the cosmos of
Gaudi with an analysis of his life, his buildings and structures
and materials, through a collection of photographs, scale models,
computer graphics and furniture.
At the exhibition, Giralt-Miracle asked a female visitor to sit
on a 100-year-old wooden bench and explained to her the seat's
purpose. "The height is designed by people's legs' length. The
holes on the bench are for the purpose of ventilation. The arch
shape on the back is to rest your arm on. They were all designed to
make people feel comfortable," he says.
"There are some geniuses in human history," he says of Gaudi,
whose unfinished work, the Sagrada Familia, is one of Spain's most
visited tourist sites. Gaudi is probably the most creative
architect after Michelangelo, Giralt-Miracle says.
"By looking at Gaudi's works, it is possible to get overwhelmed
by the exuberance of its forms, the richness of its colors or the
magic of its symbolism," the curator says.
The exhibition is the fourth organized by SEACEX during the Year
of Spain in China. The genius of Spain's most famous architect is
still largely unknown by many Chinese, Isabel Serrano Sanchez,
director general of SEACEX says.
For design students who adore Gaudi's works, the exhibition
offers a direct and vivid glimpse into the artist's world. Huang
Zhu, a student of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, was impressed
by the unique style and design of the exhibits.
"They are so different with other European styles in terms of
shape and color. Also its focus on function in designing the
furniture is very inspiring," Huang says.
Gaudi's designs, such as La Pedrera in Barcelona, differ
dramatically in form and color from other European styles.File
photos
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However, video and models only scratch the surface of the
architect's work, Huang says. "We want to know more about him and
his works. It would be great to actually see his real buildings in
Spain."
After the Capital Museum of Beijing, the exhibition will move to
MOCA Shanghai, where it will run until September 23.
(China Daily June 12, 2007)